


A Moment of Weakness

by echoinglight



Series: Link & Sidon [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Video Game Mechanics, angry Sidon, battle worn Link, selective mutism (implied)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 11:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11485329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoinglight/pseuds/echoinglight
Summary: A short piece about a time when a fight goes terribly wrong for Link, and he finds help with the Zora - though it nearly breaks Sidon's heart to see Link against death's doors.





	A Moment of Weakness

_He’d really done it this time._

Clearing the camps of monsters scattered everywhere had become routine, something Link could do as he passed by. This particular one looked fairly packed; running right in would be way more than he could handle. So he was in the midst of a daring plan that involved climbing a tree and aiming for the barrel of explosives nearby - and somewhere amidst the climb and readying his bow is when it went wrong.

A watchman that Link had missed spotted him, immediately screeching a warning. The same barrel that Link planned to ignite was picked up and tossed at him, the plume of flaming smoke billowing just under his toes as he held onto the tip of the tree for dear life. For a second he marveled at his good luck, ready to let out an adrenaline-filed whoop - when a splintering  _crack_  abruptly replaced his glee with fear. The base of the tree crumbled and broke, sending the timber swooping toward the ground with a thundering crash.

Link just barely managed to brace his feet on the clear side, kicking off and rolling away from the heavy log as it settled. He leapt to his feet and whipped around, reaching for his sword, but a heavy club slammed into him and he was sent flying toward the ground a second time - in considerably more pain.

The monsters squealed and hollered as they circled around the injured Hylian, jabbing blunt spears and jagged blades that he just barely managed to parry as he dazedly got to his feet and readied his weapon.

It was no use. Every attack that he evaded was instantly replaced by another, an infinite loop of pricks and scratches and blows that steadily wore down his energy and started to dig through his tunic.

He could have thought something profound about how “ _this is the way the hero of Hyrule dies - bludgeoned by little more than scavengers”_ if he had the time to make such coherent connections. Instead, he pressed through the pain, trying to see an opening, getting desperate to find his way out of this nightmare. A cliffside, a hill, a traveler - surely something had to open an escape to him.

All at once it came to him, but it would take a risk that he didn’t know if he could afford. Then he saw the circle closing in and he knew that it was only a matter of uncertain death versus certain death. He tapped the screen on his hip, a glowing orb appearing then growing to the full bomb size in his palm. The monsters only got a second to yelp anxiously before the blast hit them all.

Link was thrown far off, same as his assailants, the magical force of the rune bomb stinging his skin until the unforgiving hardness of the ground replaced that pain completely. He wanted to just lie there in his half-blind with agony state and never move again, but the shuffle of the monsters rapidly recovering and searching for their prey brought him to his senses. He just barely managed to raise the Sheikah Slate, opening the map and tapping a familiar zone quickly, hoping he’d chosen the right one.  _Safety,_ he thought with such force he could have sworn the slate vibrated in response.

The last he saw was the monsters scrambling toward him until the blue light engulfed him entirely, deconstructing him into nothingness and whisking him away.

◈

Night had fallen over Hyrule; morning was just hesitating to break. Zora’s Domain glittered and glowed, chasing away the darkness with graceful beauty. Many of the Zora were still asleep, while the ever-loyal guards rotated their shifts. Bazz moved to the the lower level of the courtyard, his spear held strongly at his side as he scanned his eyes over the area. All seemed to be well, so he turned and stared curiously at that strange monument housed at the very heart of the Domain, one that he’d seen for so many, many years, but only a few months ago had taken on an orange glow that changed to blue once that brave Hylian had visited it.

He stared at that blue light intently for a long while, as though studying it for the thousandth time would give him further answers. All at once, another form of blue light formed before his very eyes, beautiful tendrils that waved toward the ground before dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. Bazz stood stunned for a short moment, but shook himself out of it and peered over the stairs to see what such a display could mean.

The crumpled, scuffed, and bloody form of the Hylian registered at the same time he recognized the face.  _“Link!”_

Bazz dropped his spear and ran down the stairs, dropping to his knees at Link’s side and cautiously reaching to check for signs of life. He feared moving the boy until he knew the extent of the injuries… should he still be alive. A rush of relief washed over the Zora as he found a faint heartbeat, and he immediately rushed back up the stairs and toward the inn where the nearest Zora was just heading inside. “Kodah!  _Kodah!”_

Kodah startled at the wild-eyed look of the usually so composed guard as he spoke quickly. “It’s Link- he’s hurt.” She gasped, but he continued before she could ask the questions on her lips. “I’ll be with him- at the shrine. Please, fetch Prince Sidon immediately!”

“Of- of course!” She hurried off, running toward the stairs while Bazz returned to Link’s side. His expression drew into a grimace of empathy pains as he gingerly inspected the injuries. Having no fabric of his own, he tore a shred from Link’s battered tunic to wrap around a heavily bleeding gash on his arm. “Link, can you hear me? You’re at Zora’s Domain now. You’re going to be okay.” It was unclear if Link was conscious enough to hear him, but he hoped with all his might that he could.

A nearby  _thud_ got Bazz’s attention, and he looked up to see the Prince had bypassed the rounded stairs and simply leapt down the level in his haste. “Bazz, what’s- Link!” Sidon’s eyes went wide.

A crippling pain dulled Sidon’s usually so cheerful eyes, and Bazz immediately felt his own heart clench even tighter. “He’s alive, but very badly hurt…” he moved aside to let Sidon kneel over the boy, touching him so gently, as though he might break. “I don’t know how he got here it was just… a sudden light brought him. I’m not sure he can be moved, he’s been beaten and stabbed a great deal and I fear broken bones.”

Sidon listened carefully, but poured equal attention into looking over the wounds and softly caressing the cheek of his treasured one. With each cut and bruise he saw he felt as though his own heart was being given the same wound. Link stirred at last, just barely fluttering his eyes and giving a pained exhale. “It doesn’t matter, because he cannot stay here. I can carry him to the healer.”

With the most cautious of movements, Sidon managed to slide his hands underneath Link’s limp body and lifted him with little jostling. He ascended the stairs, keeping a close eye on his charge as he began the somber walk across the domain.

◈

Sidon found no solace after he left Link to the hands of the Zora healer. He paced, he prayed, he wrung his hands. He found the ache of his passed sister split open again as he prayed to her spirit to  _please- save him, if you can hear me_. Hero of the people be damned, Sidon didn’t want to lose another piece of  _his heart_  to mourning.  _Help me save him, as I could not save you._

The image of the bright, sparkling boy he’d spent so many afternoons with, watching the stories he wove with his hands, feeling the ease in his spirit as they floated down the river together, seeing the determination in his eyes when he used the break to practice his way with the sword- to know him as Sidon did, and to see him in a state so torn down- it was agony.

The healer finally opened the door, and Sidon rushed over, tears pooling in his eyes.

“Let your heart find peace, my Prince. _He lives.”_

◈

Everything was so… dark. And blue. Link could tell this much from behind his eyelids.  _The Shrine of Resurrection… I’ve been born again._  He thought simply, seeing the small stone room in his mind’s eye.  _No… I wouldn’t know anything about that, if that’s what happened. I wouldn’t remember._

“Link? Are you awake?”

His wandering attention came back to what was, not what could be. He slowly managed to blink his eyes partway open, noticing he was propped up on a bed of some sort, a blanket draped over him.

“Sidon…?”

The Zora’s face went from apprehension to a smile that scrunched his whole face, tears falling freely as he ducked his head over Link’s body. Link realized Sidon’s hand was over his and he tried to turn his hand to weakly clasp it.

Link gently stroked the top of Sidon’s head, watching him with a drowsy fondness, but also concern. “Why are you so sad?” He whispered.

Sidon took a deep breath, laughing lightly. “No, I… I’m not sad. Not anymore.” He composed himself enough to lift his head, allowing Link to hold his cheek. “I’m so happy you’re alive- I don’t know how you found your way to me in the state you were in… but thank the goddesses you did.”

Link smiled a little bit, tilting his head, his thumb rubbing Sidon’s smooth Zora skin. After a moment the lingering pain set in, and his face fell. “I was… outnumbered. Yeah… I got overwhelmed. The only way out was… the slate-“ he looked around with sudden concern until Sidon clasped his hands.

“All of your things are just beside you. However… your armor was damaged, and even so had to be removed quickly to treat you. The healer found another set of clothes amongst your supplies, I hope you don’t mind.” He plucked at the worn blanket with his fingers. “And this was the only extra blanket we had on hand. It seems we should begin to make preparations for the return of Hylian travelers.”

Link smiled again at that, resting back again. “It looks like I’ll be here for a little while, so I guess you gotta start now,” he joked, putting a smile on Sidon’s face in return.

“This is one of the few times I’ve heard your voice,” Sidon noted after a moment, peering curiously at Link.

“Me too,” Link replied, opening one eye to peer right back at Sidon, who became sheepish. He drew back, mulling over something until finally he gently pulled Link forward to embrace him. Link automatically snuggled into Sidon’s chest, the comforting and familiar softness of the slick skin relaxing him.

The hug became a little tighter, and Link rubbed soothing circles wherever his hand could reach. “I’m okay, Sidon. I’ve got two against zero on death now. I’m not going anywhere.”

“But you are always so reckless… I just couldn’t bear it if…” he sighed, a puff of air far over Link’s head. “You are wild and wandering, and I fear the day your bravery makes you foolish. You may have lost your memories, but you are whole as you are now, Link. You are loved.”

Link buried himself deeper into Sidon’s chest in response.

“…I would like to tear apart the beasts who did this to you… to me. And should the blood moon rise, I’ll do it over again.” Sidon’s voice was soft, but it now trembled lightly with his pain.

Link nudged Sidon with the palm of his hand. “Now who’s reckless?” He murmured. “No hunting monsters. That’s my job. You stay as far away from… from all this as you can. Because when all this is gone- you still gotta be here for me to come back to. That’s- that’s your job.” He struggled over the words, ending up muttering down toward his lap as he hugged Sidon’s chest. “You are the brightest thing I’ve seen in Hyrule yet. Please- stay… stay that way. You are loved, too.”

Sidon looked down at Link in surprise, and gently held him at the shoulders as Link stared down at his hands. “Then so I shall.”

Link let Sidon scoop him up, and he stayed nestled safe in his arms for a long time, knowing he was alive and home.

**Author's Note:**

> WOW I haven't written anything I felt like I could post in. two years?? amazing what being back on meds is doing for me. So thanks so much for reading, I'm really happy to share something! Also, no, I absolutely haven't forgotten about ghiralink. I have multiple projects for it in the works right now :')
> 
> As for this, my whole life revolves around botw rn and I had this idea rolling around in my head for a long time; I really love translating game mechanics into actual things the characters acknowledge and interact with so this whole scenario came together for me to use as many as possible in one piece. Battle worn Link is something I think about a lot, especially for botw Link. and sad Sidon breaks me in two so of course I also wrote a piece centered around that hfdjgdfg
> 
> Comments are super appreciated! Is there anything you liked or that worked well? Is there something else you'd be interested in for me to write? please let me know <3
> 
> I'm echoinglight on tumblr, feel free to hang out with me there. I'll be opening commissions soon if anyone is interested!


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